Carmen-Fantasie [LP][Limited Edition];

Some violinists impress by a dazzling technique, as flawless and polished as a diamond. Some impress by the intensity of their vision, their genius for saying something fresh with a musical phrase that the listener may have heard a thousand times before. Others by their daring, their willingness to push themselves beyond the boundaries of safety perhaps by choosing an audacious tempo, or by producing some extraordinary and startling tone-colour.
Anne-Sophie Mutter does all this and more.

Gathered together here is music that Mutter might play as encores after an intense recital or concerto programme. Several were written by composers who were themselves virtuoso violinists, and whose very intention was to test the technical mettle of all who dared to attempt a performance. For some violinists, simply playing the notes would be enough. But being Mutter, these pieces are interpreted with as much care and intelligence as the most profound concerto.
Richard Morrison